Working with justice involved Veterans Matthew Stimmel, Ph.D. Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist Domiciliary Service VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Overview of Justice-Involved Veterans Approximately 8 10% of the incarcerated population are Veterans. Close to 150,000 Veterans are released from jails/prisons annually. More than three quarters (77%) of incarcerated veterans received military discharges that were honorable or under honorable conditions. 2
Treatment Needs of Justice Involved Veterans More than half have at least one mental health concern. One study found past trauma in 87% of Veterans incarcerated in jails. One study found that 39% of Veterans incarcerated in jails screened positive for PTSD. SUDs are a concern for nearly two thirds of justice involved Veterans, including a large proportion of individuals (over 75%) who have a co occurring mental health disorder. Incarceration is among the largest predictive factors of Veteran homelessness 3
VJO Program Mission To avoid the unnecessary criminalization of mental illness and extended incarceration among Veterans by ensuring that eligible justice involved Veterans have timely access to VA Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder services when clinically indicated, and other VA services and benefits as appropriate. Timely access and safety ( clinically indicated ) two big motivators for direct admission to tx programs from jail. 4
VJO Outreach Process
VJO Initiative #1: Law Enforcement Training Training on PTSD, TBI, military culture, readjustment issues, VA resources, etc. Crisis Intervention Teams Veteran Specific training for local police departments VA Police Training Initiative 16 hour training for all VAPA officers on specific Veteran mental health issues and resource linkage Recently filmed Police Training DVD for VA and nationwide distribution 6
VJO Initiative #2: Veterans Treatment Courts Active Veterans Treatment Courts Santa Clara San Mateo San Joaquin Santa Cruz Monterey Stanislaus Calaveras Alameda (staffed by NorCal HCS VJO) 7
Military Diversion & Veterans Treatment Court Goals Reduce Recidivism Treat Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Repair Veteran s Record Eliminate Fines and Fees
VTCs Typically Address More than Treatment Needs Housing Benefits Employment Resources Peer Mentorship Transportation All of these services may be competing needs Veterans coming out of custody feel pressure to address immediately
VJO Initiative #3: Jail Outreach Outreach to Veterans in jail facilities throughout the 10 county VAPAHCS catchment Screening and Clinical Assessment Eligibility and enrollment in VA services For placement in appropriate treatment / level of care Referrals and Linkages to Resources Housing Assistance Treatment (Medical, Mental Health, Substance Use) Vocational and Employment Assistance Benefits 10
VRSS: What does it Provide? Prisons, Jails, Courts: A list of individuals who have a history of military service for overall awareness and to assist in creating Veteranspecific programs What Information Does VRSS Provide? VA Justice Outreach Specialists: Veteran s name, physical location in the criminal justice system, estimated release date, and indicators of potential eligibility for VA services
Veterans Re-entry Search Service VRSS accelerates VA justice specialists ability to: Locate Veterans in the criminal justice system Link them to services that promote successful community reentry following incarceration Prevent homelessness Reduce recidivism Justice-involved Veterans are at high risk of homelessness. A 2013 study of incarcerated Veterans served by VA found that the rate of past homelessness was five times higher than that of adult men in the general population.
VRSS: How does it work?
VRSS: How does it benefit Veterans and Society? Incarceration is costly to society. Average annual per-inmate cost is $31,286. More than 1 in 100 adults is in prison or jail in the United States. Four in 10 released prisoners return to custody within three years. VRSS locates two to three times more individuals with a history of military service. VRSS assists in allocating limited dollars for reentry services to prevent homelessness and reduce recidivism. Connects more Veterans to VA housing and other services Saves state and local governments money
VRSS SUCCESSES Pilot demonstrations in California, Iowa, and Maryland showed the value of VRSS. Without VRSS self-report With VRSS 2 to 5 percent 8 percent *Currently being used in San Francisco, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Alameda Counties
Contact Information David Grillo, LCSW; x23435 650 776 7570 Leah Emery, LCSW; x25598 650 815 1640 Tim Healy, PSS; x24715 650 933 2705 Frank Rainey, LCSW; x27222 650 468 6061 Matthew Stimmel, Ph.D.; x24767 650 847 9125 Chris White; x27310 650 847 8600
Starting Ranger Road I immigrated to America from Russia at the age of 7. My father served in the Russian military, to be more specific Spetz Natz A Russian special operations unit. Once in America I had the opportunity to attended: School College Enlisted into the military, 2 nd Ranger battalion Military career: Ranger school, 3 deployments (2 to Iraq, 1 to Afghanistan), 2006 Best Ranger Competition winner After military, I began fighting MMA and got into Law Enforcement and currently working for the San Mateo Police Department. Military brothers asking for help and guidance after seeing my progress in the civilian world. I recognized the need that my fellow veterans had for support and assistance. This realization lead me to found and dedicate Ranger Road to assisting veterans, and provide them with the necessary tools to be successful during their crucial transition. Ranger Road was born.
Mindset We at Ranger Road love to train hard and play hard. We practice mixed martial arts (MMA). We go mountain biking. We go wake boarding. We believe that staying fit, with a healthy mind and body, are critical to our happiness and overall success. Below are a few samples of some of the trips and events we offer: MMA Training Mountain Biking Boating / Wake Boarding Shooting / Hunting Camping Fishing Golf Swimming Yoga Skydiving All Outdoor Activities
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First Step
About Ranger Road Ranger Road is a nonprofit charity (501c3) with a primary focus of serving ALL veterans. At Ranger Road, we believe the bond and camaraderie created in the military is truly special and is an experience only those who have served are able to grasp an understanding of. Ranger Road pushes toward lasting solutions that bringing veterans with and without disabilities together with civilians to be part of a community and support system that thrives on fitness and recreation. We truly believe that together we can empower veterans and we develop our programs with that in mind. The activities and projects we developed have been proven to help veterans handle stress, lower rates of anxiety and depression, and improve the overall physical and emotional wellness of those who have served our country.
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Our Mission Bringing veterans together for physical and emotional wellness through extraordinary experiences empowering the transition to their next chapter.
Growth Continuously evaluating the impact of our work for veterans Providing effective and solution focused physical and emotional wellness programs Collaborating with other nonprofits, businesses and communities to bring together veterans and civilians
2017 Ranger Road Events Quail / Pig Hunt Annual Skydiving Event Tank Car Crush Santa Cruz Surfing Event Veteran Scuba Diving Trip Veteran MMA Event Many More
World War II Veteran